Ride Review: Rad Power Bikes’ Rad Rover 6 Ebike Refines The Design, Doesn’t Forget The Fat Tire Fun

As I noted in my review of the RadRover 5 in the summer of 2020, I didn’t have a very high opinion of fat tire bikes before the review, but the stout 5 changed my tune, and I’ve reviewed a few more fat bikes since then. Done properly, they are big fun for big riders like myself.

Rad was kind enough to send along their latest evolution and apparently sixth iteration of the RadRover, the RadRover 6 Plus, earlier this fall and I’ve been blasting around Portland on it ever since. So what’s new?

Quite a bit, but overall, the 6 retains the charm and toughness of the 5, thankfully. There’s still a 750-watt motor in the rear hub, and you can dial in pedal assist or use the motorcycle-like twistgrip throttle for powered roving up to a Class II maximum of 20 miles per hour. The rear Shimano 7-speed derailleur stays the same and it covers a wide range, so you can still pedal along at 2o in top gear or crank up that muddy hill in granny gear.

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However, there are some significant changes and upgrades. The brakes are now full hydraulic with ceramic pads and have much better power and feel than the 5’s cabled system, and the removable battery now snugs very neatly into the frame rather than riding on a carrier. The 48V, 14 Ah (or 672 Wh) battery is the same in terms of power, but the form factor is better for removal and there’s a nifty new 10-segment LED gauge on the battery itself for quick, more accurate power checks even with the bike turned off.

Up top, new twin LCD panels show a wealth of information (including the time) in a more simplified and readable way, with the second smaller display showing assist level and featuring new big control buttons on the left bar – a big improvement over the tiny buttons on the 5’s nubbin. The front forks feature 60mm of travel and it can also be locked out, and it retains preload adjustment as well. The rear hub motor, designed by Rad, is also improved, and I noticed better climbing power and smoother engagement over the 5. Rad also relocated some electrical bits that cleaned up the frame’s lines nicely, and for the 6 they added some tasteful orange highlights on the wheels and frame that give the burly bike a bit more drip. For a fat tire bike, it looks good.

Under power, I was happy to see the fun factor from the 5 is intact with the 6, and even enhanced by the reworked motor and slightly updated ergos. The 5 fit me just fine, the 6 felt just right as well, but also was rideable by my much shorter partner. Rad was kind enough to send along both front and rear racks for RadRover 6 since I like to commute and use ebikes as car replacements. Rad offers a very wide range of accessories for the RadRover (and all their bikes) so you can really dial it in for your specific needs.

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In the commuting realm, the RadRover 6 is a reliable workhorse. With wide, effective fenders as standard and optional panniers hanging off the rear rack, I used it to run errands, hit the grocery store, commute to my day job and with the large open front rack, even made some trips to drop off packages that were too big to fit in the pannies. All the while, it was fun, fast and safe, especially with those great new brakes.

What I love most about fat tire bikes is the sort of bulldozer way you can ride them, and the RadRover 6 is force to be reckoned with. Portland is famous for its bike-friendly civic attitude and bike lanes are plentiful here (as are cyclists) but it’s still common to come across trash, car parts, puddles, construction leftovers and every other kind of detritus in the bike lanes. But with the RadRover 6, like with the 5, commuting changes from a game of dodge-em to a more who-cares approach when, for most stuff, you can just ride over it – and usually crush it. At least you can with a 200+ pound rider on a 75-pound fat bike, and even hopping off a curb from the sidewalk doesn’t upset the RadRover 6, with that front fork eating up most big bumps with ease.

Nit picks? I have to ride after dark quite a bit, and Rad’s stock “halo” headlight on the 6 carries over from the 5, and it continues to underwhelm, but at least it does come with a headlight and a tail/brake light at all, something every ebike should include these days. Rad offers a 500-lumen “premium” photon blaster for $49 and really, this should be the stock headlight on what is their premier bike, in my opinion. The RadRover 6 also gained five pounds from the 5, and while 74 pounds for an electric fat bike still seems pretty reasonable to me, it is on the heavy side if you have to pedal it home without battery power. But hey, you can still pedal it with efficacy, which is more than I can say for some ebikes, so it’s not a deal breaker by any stretch, and the build quality is both robust and high quality.

Overall, the RadRover 6 is a worthy upgrade from the 5, with big gains in braking power, instrumentation, design sophistication and even some style points. It’s a hoot to ride – especially for fun – but it can also be a reliable commuter and errand machine. If you thought fat bikes were for beach bums or vacation villas, especially if you’ve been off bikes for a while, think again and give the RadRover 6 consideration. You’ll be surprised at how much fun it is to ride “fat.” Very much recommended.